


The Babysitter

by things_that_matter



Series: CMBYN: Life with Ollie [33]
Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017), Call Me By Your Name - All Media Types, Call Me by Your Name - André Aciman
Genre: Babysitting, Brothers, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Intimacy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:02:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29273649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/things_that_matter/pseuds/things_that_matter
Summary: Elio and Oliver are looking forward to Valentine’s Day! ❤️But is there a sitter who can handle Ollie?
Relationships: Oliver & Elio Perlman
Series: CMBYN: Life with Ollie [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094873
Comments: 12
Kudos: 10





	The Babysitter

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt by ChalametGal

“He really is a great kid. I’m not saying that because he’s my brother, either,” Elio stammered nervously. 

“Hey!” Ollie’s eyebrows revealed his objection by knitting themselves into a little bundle. 

“I mean he is, of course. He’s my brother but that’s not the _only_ reason he’s great,” Elio tried to walk it back, but the problem was that he wasn’t sure what to walk back. He didn’t think he’d said anything wrong. It had been a very tough interview, Elio thought, with Ollie getting riled up after every sentence and Oliver constantly nudging him in the side with his elbow as if it was his fault.

Elio wasn’t the least bit sad to say goodbye to Claire as she left with a smile that seemed to say, _don’t call us, we’ll call you_. 

As soon as the door closed, all three boys began talking over one another. 

“Well _that_ went well,” said Oliver while pinning Ollie with a very paternal glare. 

“Next time, _NOT IT_ for sitting in the middle,” complained Elio while rubbing his side as if he were seriously injured by the constant elbows Oliver had sent his way. 

“I hated her even worse than the old lady from Tuesday,” spat Ollie as if she were a Brussels sprout and he desperately needed to cleanse his palate. 

Of course, none of them heard the other two, each one being so busy with his own complaining. 

After a few more moments of this, Oliver finally raised a hand to shoulder height and gave a dismissive flap. “Later,” he said more to the room than to its occupants as he walked purposely towards his room. 

Ollie was sitting on the sofa with the most innocent little look on his face. “What did **_I_ **do?” he asked his big brother. 

Elio rolled his eyes. “Ollie, I think that was your last interview,” the words sounded more harsh than Elio intended. 

Ollie’s face fell at this news. “But I didn’t like ANY of them!!” Ollie shouted. 

“Don’t shout at me,” Elio whispered harshly while glancing toward his own room and hoping Oliver didn’t hear it. He didn’t need Oliver to protect him from a seven year old, but try telling Oliver that. 

“I’m not shouting!” Ollie shouted. 

They heard the bedroom door open, and they both waited quietly until it closed again. 

“I’m not shouting,” Ollie whispered. 

“You’ve sabotaged every interview. Oliver tried to tell me that choosing a babysitter was a job for adults, but I just _insisted_ that you have a say,” Elio was venting. “Now you’ve made me look and feel like an idiot.” 

Ollie’s lip poked out into an immediate and perfect pout. “It isn’t my fault you picked the worst babysitters in the entire USA to interview,” he whined. 

Elio was still angry. Probably too angry to be talking with Ollie about it, because his voice was no less severe when he added, “Well Ollie, if the the worst babysitters in the USA turned down the job of babysitting you, what does that say?” 

Elio was about to say, _what does that say about you._ But as he was speaking the sentence, he saw the expression his little brother wore begin to change. He was able to stifle the words, but not the spirit of the sentence, and Ollie began to sob all at once. Elio went over to try to comfort him, but Ollie ran down the hallway and was banging on Elio and Oliver’s door. 

Oliver opened it and immediately picked up the crying seven year old boy who was reaching up for him. 

“Are you hurt?” Elio could hear Oliver ask gently, his own anger forgotten.

Elio could hear Ollie’s tearful response, but he was unable to make out the words. He clearly heard Oliver’s response though, “So your feelings are hurt, huh?” 

By now, Elio’s feelings were hurt, too, but he wouldn’t say so. Nevertheless, Oliver knew. He always knew exactly how Elio felt. And Oliver was kind, so Elio wasn’t surprised when Oliver carried Ollie over to the sofa and dropped himself down beside Elio, Ollie on his lap now, facing Elio. At first Elio just kept his eyes on the ceiling, not wanting to see the hurt he was sure was in his brother’s eyes. 

Of course, eventually he did look at Ollie, who looked so small and young as he always did whenever Oliver was holding him. Elio knew this was partly because of how tall Oliver was, but it was also partly the difference in the relationships. To Elio, Ollie was still and always would be his little brother. Even though he tried to be as parental as he could, he often failed at it and was more big brother. Oliver wasn’t and never had been Ollie’s brother, so he saw Ollie as the young child that he was, and Ollie responded as such. Elio was overwhelmed with gratitude in that moment. How sad would it have been for Ollie if he’d have gotten stuck with only Elio? Elio couldn’t bear the thought. 

“I’m sorry,” Elio told his little brother. And he was. He would never hurt Ollie on purpose, not even his feelings. He was rewarded with a lapful of Ollie, who had climbed from Oliver’s lap onto his before he’d even finished the words. 

The next afternoon, Oliver was determined to have a successful interview. He baked cookies and got Ollie dressed in the adorable outfit Elio had gotten him for picture day. He wanted everything to be perfect. Elio arrived just in time to hear him deliver the rules. 

“Elio and I will ask the questions, you just look cute, got it?” Oliver prepped. 

“Got it,” Ollie replied dutifully. 

“If you don’t like an answer, say _nothing._ You can tell us after, but not in front of the babysitter, understand?” 

“Alleged babysitter,” Ollie corrected. But after receiving a stern look from Oliver, he followed up with the expected “I understand.” Ollie even added a little nod for emphasis. 

Oliver gave Ollie a long, searching look and then, as if determining him a good melon, he patted him on the leg. 

Just then, the doorbell rang. As Oliver walked over to show their guest in, Elio slid down to the arm of the sofa and pulled Ollie up beside him. He was serious about avoiding the middle spot this time. 

As Oliver led the _alleged_ babysitter into the living room, he had to hide a smile when he saw Elio‘s new position on the sofa. Two could play that game, though, and Oliver simply plucked Ollie from the sofa, took his spot beside Elio, and then situated the boy on his lap. 

“Thank you for coming, this is Ollie,” Oliver welcomed the woman. 

“Hello, Ollie. I’m Kate,” the interviewee smiled at Ollie. To the chagrin of both Elio and Oliver, Ollie looked away, refusing to say hello. 

Oliver nudged Elio with his elbow, who in turn poked Ollie gently in the side. 

Ollie only gave a loud, “Hmmph!”

All three adults stared at each other, embarrassed. 

Oliver stood, still holding Ollie, and said, “We need to go have a little talk.” 

Both Elio and Ollie objected, and both were ignored. 

Elio sat staring at the woman, feeling very awkward. 

“He’s very cute,” she finally said, smiling. 

For a moment, things got even more awkward as Elio found himself feeling possessive and jealous, but then he realized she was referring to Ollie. 

Elio laughed nervously. “That’s kind of you to say. He really is a very good kid. He doesn’t usually…” Elio’s voice trailed off as Oliver and Ollie returned and sat back down. Elio plucked Ollie from Oliver’s lap, wanting to hold him. Ollie took the opportunity to put some space between himself and Oliver, sliding out of Elio’s lap and onto the sofa on the other side of him. Ollie felt better with his big brother between them, even though Oliver hadn’t really been angry and had simply explained that it was only negative comments he was to keep to himself. Saying hello and answering direct questions was fine. 

Elio saw Oliver observe Ollie’s evasive maneuvers, and then he appeared to cast some sort of spell or perhaps he was saying a prayer. Elio was amused either way.

Without any hope of saving this interview, Oliver gave up. “Kate, I’m sorry that we have wasted your time. We are trying to find someone to keep Ollie for a few hours next weekend so that we can go out,” he explained. 

“Every time we bring in a babysitter, Ollie misbehaves, and we don’t know why. He really is a good kid,” Elio added. 

Kate smiled, “A Valentine’s Day date night?” 

Elio and Oliver both blushed. They didn’t think of themselves as people who got caught up in commercialized holidays, but Kate was right. They wanted a romantic evening together. 

“Has your regular sitter moved?” Kate wanted to know. 

“We don’t have one,” Elio answered simply. 

“We haven’t needed one,” Oliver felt the need to explain. 

Kate looked thoughtfully at Ollie. “I thought you said you’d had him almost a year?” 

“Ten months,” Ollie said, surprising Elio. He didn’t know Ollie was keeping a count. For a moment, Elio could visualize a wall in Ollie’s closet with sets of five tally marks all over it, as if Ollie were a prisoner, keeping up with his time. But, Elio knew that was ridiculous. Right?

“Ten months?” Kate said, still smiling at Ollie. Then she cast a reproving look at Elio and Oliver. “Ten months, and you haven’t needed a sitter? Please!”

They all four laughed, though Ollie didn’t really understand why he was laughing. 

“What time should I be here?” Kate asked. “Assuming I got the job?” 

He had already checked references, so Oliver smiled and shook her hand. “ Thank you! He will be on his best behavior,” Oliver promised. 

“MAYBE,” Ollie teased. 

Elio hugged the new babysitter. He could tell that she understood Ollie. Where the other candidates saw a behavior problem, she saw a good kid who wasn’t too happy about being left at home with a stranger. 

After Kate left, all three of the little family’s members were happy. Oliver was happy because they’d secured a babysitter and he would finally be able to take Elio on a real date. Ollie was happy because he actually thought he was going to like Kate. And Elio was happy because when he checked Ollie’s closet, there wasn’t a single tally mark. 

“So Ollie, how did you know it had been 10 months since you came? I was still trying to remember myself,” Elio asked as he tucked Ollie in for bedtime. 

Ollie laughed, “Because it’s math! I’ve been here 285 days. I know it’s a little less than 10 months but I rounded up because the more time with you and Oliver, the better!” 

“The better,” Elio agreed, kissing Ollie goodnight. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I feel like the Valentine’s Day story will come to me. It won’t be posted next, because I have a queue, but hopefully by next weekend.


End file.
